Communiqué of the Secretariat of State on the upcoming Conclave

The freedom of the College of Cardinals, which alone, under the law, is responsible for the election of the Roman Pontiff, has always been strongly defended by the Holy See, as a guarantee of a choice based on evaluations solely for the good of the Church.

Over the centuries, the Cardinals have faced multiple forms of pressure exerted on the individual voters and the same College, with the aim of conditioning decisions, to bend them to a political or worldly logic.

If in the past it was the so-called superpowers, namely States, who sought to condition the election of the Pope in their favour, today there is an attempt to apply the weight of public opinion, often on the basis of assessments that fail to capture the spiritual aspect of this moment in the life of the Church.

It is regrettable that, as we draw near to the beginning of the Conclave, when Cardinal electors shall be bound in conscience and before God to freely express their choice, news reports abound which are often unverified or not verifiable, or even false, even subsequent damage people and institutions.

It is in moments such as these that Catholics are called to focus on what is essential: to pray for Pope Benedict, to pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten the College of Cardinals, to pray for the future Pope, trusting that the fate of the barque of St. Peter is in the hands of God.

31 comments:

Benedict Carter
said...

The more this kind of communique is issued, the more one has to conclude that they are hiding something.

Given that the Pope has just restored the Oath of Allegiance made by individual Cardinals to the ceremonies to be held for the new Pope's coronation, the dossier drawn up by the three Cardinals must be hot stuff indeed.

- This communique is well said and, as is typical with the Vatican, is said somewhat too late. They should have shown a strong upper hand and made such a statement within hours of Pope Benedict's announcement.

Also, I agree with Benedict Carter's comment that the dossier drawn up by the three cardinals must indeed be radioactive.

"It's a pity the Holy Father didn't allow himself some time to sort out the college; a few men who probably should have red hats don't and some who shouldn't, have.'

For the most part, this is not Benedict XVI's fault. However, he passed over the Patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia who at least from reports is an excellent traditional and orthodox man. It was a mistake to not include him in the mini-consistory of last November. There were 1-2 people in that one who should not have been there.

But 95% blame for people like Mahoney and Daneels being Cardinals belongs with Benedict XVI's predecessor...as does the results of the dossier complied by the three traditional minded Cardinals chosen by Benedict XVI.

It is indeed a shame that Benedict XVI is blamed for the crisis in the Church, but his predecessor is never mentioned or blamed for anything. It's as if he were a holy relic beyond reproach. And that's not only a violation of sound judgement based on fact, but it's also a bit sick too.

"The more this kind of communique is issued, the more one has to conclude that they are hiding something."

Yes, absolutely. But it will all come out.And the Cardinals now who have big smiles on their faces, thinking they have solid chances to become Pope in afew weeks, will leave the conclave feeling very disillusioned and shaken when someone never even mentioned....a traditionalist minded man (perhaps not too young..but not as old as Benedict was at election), is picked. Someone who won;t bend to the liberals as Benedict did.Some of those Cardinals feeling so confident now will be running for cover in afew weeks. And the bishops and Cardinals in the Curia now, will be all in the priestly unemployment line in 2-3 months!

**If anyone knows, why do 2 radical liberals, Kasper and Romeo get to enter and vote in the conclave? They'll both be past 80 when it opens!Another rad liberal, the former Archbishop of Jakarta, Indonesia...Cardinal Marmaatmadja (78) won't be coming to the conclave....too sick. He was violently against Catholic tradition and the Tridentine Mass.

Funny. I got the same reaction. On paper, the letter sounds so noble, but whether they really believe in it or act on it is an entirely different case. The way they have acted over time, do THEY really believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church?

If Benedict had stayed the course, that is, till he died, these older lib-creatures of vatican II era would have aged out and been ineligible to vote by the time the next proper, God-chosen, conclave would have occurred. As it is, they're in with a chance to do more damage. (If that were possible.) Very curious timing on BXVI's part.

The Holy Father should just publish the Tomko dossier. Just publish it. He should torpedo the Secretariat of State. Make no mistake, This communique is aimed at the Holy Father. The Cardinals are living in fear right now. Benedict's final act as Pope should be to distribute multiple copies of that report to the press. Then let the sodomites sink or swim.

**If anyone knows, why do 2 radical liberals, Kasper and Romeo get to enter and vote in the conclave? They'll both be past 80 when it opens!

Because according to Universi Dominici Gregis:

33. The right to elect the Roman Pontiff belongs exclusively to the Cardinals of Holy Roman Church, with the exception of those who have reached their eightieth birthday before the day of the Roman Pontiff's death or the day when the Apostolic See becomes vacant.

Thus, a cardinal's eligibility for the conclave depends on the date of the pope's death/the vacancy of the Holy See, not on the date of the beginning of the conclave. This had been modified by JPII so that the College of Cardinals could not include or someone by setting the start of the conclave earlier or later.

"If anyone knows, why do 2 radical liberals, Kasper and Romeo get to enter and vote in the conclave? They'll both be past 80 when it opens!"

Because the relevant date is when the see becomes vacant, not when the conclave opens. We can thank JP2 for that. Under Paul VI's original formulation of that law, they would indeed have been excluded.

I suppose the reasoning has to do with the five day window for opening the conclave, and perhaps it was feared that powerful cardinals might force a delay in order to exclude someone who would turn 80 within said window (however unlikely that case seems).

In regard to his abdication, I will take Pope Benedict XVI at his word. Many Traditional Catholics bash the news media regularly for generating lies about and planting preposterous stories to discredit Holy Mother Church.

That is why it's amazing that we have Traditional Catholics who have bought into the current round of news media nonsense directed against Holy Mother Church.

His Holiness has made it clear that he believes that he simply lacks sufficient energy and health to continue to reign as Pope.

At least a year ago, non-sensationalistic news media types and commentators attuned to the Church and Pope, offered informed opinions that His Holiness was a candidate for Papal abdication.

It has been obvious that since at least October or Novemeber of 2012 A.D. to date, His Holiness has experienced considerable physical deterioration.

I believe that among certain Catholics, their propensity to view the Church's past 40 to 50years through apocalyptic lenses has spurred them to seek the sensational to explain the current collapse of the Church.

In their minds, never has the Church been in such sorry shape. The big, bad Second Vatican Council is an end-times conspiracy to destroy the Church. Oh, my. Times have never been worse for Holy Mother Church. We have reached the end as we have a Council that teaches errors (wrong) and a Mass that is "evil" (wrong).

The problem is that their reading of our time is inaccurate... oh, just a...tad...inaccurate. Actually, their reading is innacurate to a monumental degree.

Holy Mother Church has experienced chaos and collapse worse than that of Her situation today. Imagine if the Internet and such a thing as a blog had existed during the Arian crisis.

Had some of today's Traditionalists been alive then...oh, man!...their daily commentaries would have off the charts in regard to their desire to spin Church difficulties in apocalyptic fashion.

Imagine had they been alive when a bishop (Judas) betrayed Jesus Christ. Imagine their take on our first Pope denying Jesus Christ. Imagine their take years later when our first Pope attempted to flee from Rome along the Via Appia.

"Our bishops are apostates! Hopeless! The Church is all but finished before She has been established. Peter is pathetic. He is not qualified remotely to serve as Pope. He tried to abandon the Church. Out of decency, he should abdicate, then enter into seclusion.

"The trouble at Corinth...yep, this is the beginning of the end! Schisms abound thoroughout the Church. People are drunk during Mass. We are done...the end is imminent."

That is what we would have heard from them.

Yes, the Church has collapsed. She has collapsed several times during throughout Her history. She has endured rampant immorality and corruption among Popes, Cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and laity.

The Church goes in cycles. During the past 100 or so years, we have had Saints, Blesseds and Venerables among our Popes. They failed to rout the modernists who were determined to foist a destructive revolution upon Holy Mother Church.

Holy Mother Church will overcome the current round of chaos to the extent that has been the case during Her various encounters with internal strife. That is, She will exist in a relative state of peace and prosperity.

Many Catholics, clergy and otherwise, will conduct themselves in holy fashion. Alongside the holiness, widespread sin and corruption will exist throughout Holy Mother Church.

I assume you live near a beach. You'll have needed a limitless and nearby supply to have been able to stick your head so far into the sand as your post suggests you have done.

"I believe that among certain Catholics, their propensity to view the Church's past 40 to 50 years through apocalyptic lenses has spurred them to seek the sensational to explain the current collapse of the Church."

You deny Our Lady's apparitions or Her reported words?

If you think Bl. Lucia, Jacinta and Francesco or Sister Agnes (Akita) were all lying, please do have the courage to say so.

You deny the deep concern with which every single Pope since 1917 have spoken about Fatima?

You certainly haven't persuaded me, nor I think anyone else. I guess that you don't even persuade yourself.

"That is why it's amazing that we have Traditional Catholics who have bought into the current round of news media nonsense directed against Holy Mother Church."

Hey Tom,

Not to be aggressive or anything, but open your eyes about this story! I've been around the world a dozen times in the last six years in my job...and I've been to Rome the same number. I have heard horror stories about the antics of Vatican clergy that would make your hair stand on end.It's all true what these Cardinals dug up....and God Bless them for it. And God Bless Benedict XVI for deciding to let these Cardinals present the whole disgusting mess to all the Cardinals (not just keep it hidden for the next Pope). Benedict XVI reasons that it's such a disgrace that they all must know. Also, maybe it's his way of getting back at the army of dissidents and radicals in the Curia (probably many of them implicated in all this), for trying to block so many of his good initiatives over the last eight years.

The report by the Cardinals is no joke....and it's no lie or mistreprentation or "new media nonsense directed at Holy Mother Church". This garbage has been going on for years. JP II gave everyone pretty much free reign....and they took advantage of it. JPII didn't give a ---- about running the Vatican, the Curia, or making decisions for the Church. When there's no watchman on guard, things happen.,,even in the Vatican.These ol boys hated Benedict XVI when he was elected because they knew that they couldn't fool him. He knew every one of their tricks.In the end, Benedict XVI was old, in failing health...and after reading the report, probably just sick and tired of all of them.Bertone and Sodano are the ring leaders. The one good thing is with Benedict XVI gone....so will they be.Unfortunatly, in the Vatican, you have to dig down to the level of priests in their 30's and 40's before you find good, traditional men not totally corrupted (in more ways than one). The good thing is that the worst of these people are in their 60's and 70's...with some in their 50's.There's hope for the Church if he get a traditionalist, orthodox man in the mold of Benedict XVI or better.

But if we get a JP II clone, or even worse....a pope who takes that name, it's be decades before the Church recovers.

I feel sorry for people in their 50's and 60's who are good, traditional Catholics who are fed up with the never ending bad fruit of Vatican II like this. They probably won;t be around when things markedly improve.

I'm almost 32, so I probably will be.....perhaps.

Let's all pray for a traditionalist/orthodox and holy Pope who is both holy and brave.Benedict XVI was the former but not the later.

Unfortunatly, with the people (to use nice language) sneaking around (literally) in the Vatican these days-as proven by the dossier presented by the Cardinals--a Pope has to be both.

It is sad and shocking that of all folks, Traditional Catholics have accepted the bait in regard to recent sensationalistic "mainstream" news media stories that are clear attacks against Holy Mother Church.

I don't know as to whether various news media outlets have concocted said stories. It may be that forces outside the news media have concocted the nonsense in question. In that sense, news media outlets could claim that they have merely reported that which has been brought to their attention.

But even at that, hatred against Pope Benedict XVI and Holy Mother Church is widespread throughout the news media.

"Mainstream" news media outlets are businesses. They exist to make money. A story of a sensationalistic nature aimed at Holy Mother Church always garners public interest. That is particularly true amomng haters of the Church who employ said stories to justify thir anti-Catholic hatred.

Such stories garner money and attention to news media outlets.

Traditional Catholics are keen to denounce secular news media outfits as filled with anti-Catholics. News media outlets are clueless supposedly when it comes to a true understanding of Holy Mother Church.

The news media are filled with enemies of the Church, according to more than a few Traditional Catholics. But somehow, the trash that the news media have now thrown at Holy Mother Church is accurate..."gotta be true...gotta be."

Yep...Pope Benedict XVI failed to tell the "real" truth as to why he abdicated. Naturally, the news media have the "real" truth in that regard.

But maybe Traditionalists who have accepted the "truth" as told by the "enemies of the Church" shouldn't surprise me. After all, when the Pope announced his abdication, more than a few Traditionals here and elsehere declared the following:

The Pope has always been a modernist...always will be. His abdication is part of his and the modernists' final plan to reduce the Papacy to that of a mere job. He is determined to destroy the Papacy.

When I consider all of the above —and much more that flows from Traditionalists — I can understand as to why many (perhaps the majority) Cardinals, bishops and priests are very, very circumspect when it comes to Traditional Catholics and the Traditionalist Movement.

As a Traditionalist Catholic, I wish for said circumspect Cardinals, bishops and priests who read this blog (I appreciate this blog greatly) and additional Traditional Catholic blogs to realize that not every Traditional Catholic marches in lockstep with anti-Catholic, anti-Pope Benedict XVI sensationalism.

GQ Rep said..."Hey Tom, Not to be aggressive or anything, but open your eyes about this story! I've been around the world a dozen times in the last six years in my job...and I've been to Rome the same number. I have heard horror stories about the antics of Vatican clergy that would make your hair stand on end.It's all true what these Cardinals dug up....and God Bless them for it. And God Bless Benedict XVI for deciding to let these Cardinals present the whole disgusting mess to all the Cardinals (not just keep it hidden for the next Pope)."

Right. There is filth within the Church. We know that. But the topic at hand is the latest rounds of news media reports that are sensationalistic. The reports are designed clearly, as the Holy See has declared, to pressure the Cardinal electors in various ways and attack Holy Mother Church and individuals.

You can believe Vatican "insider" journalists or the Holy See. I will believe the Holy See.

In regard to "insider" news media types, they have done a great job, for example, in their Rome-SSPX coverage. Rorate Caeli featured the other day a "well-informed" journalist in regard to last-minute Rome-SSPX discussions. Hmmm...how did that "insider" story work out?

About 10 months ago, Rorate Caeli posted a Rome-SSPX "DEAL IS IMMIMNENT" from that same "insider" journalist. Hmmm...how did that "insider" story work out?

ABC ran prime-time news magazine stories that featured "unassailable" inside information about Pope Pius XII and the Church having run "rat lines" that enabled Nazi war criminals escape justice. Ooookay. Uh-huh.

Are you aware that Pope Benedict XVI declared that condom useage was perfectly fine? Yep. That is what mainstream news media outlet declared to the world.

Are you aware that a couple of months ago, Pope Benedict XVI had "cancelled" Christmas. Yep...that is what the mainsteam news media reported via "unsassilable" reports.

Are the news media ever...ever able to report anyhing correct in relation to Catholicism?

Sorry, but you can stick to the news media...I'll accept that which the Holy See has said in regard to the issue at hand.

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GQ Rep said..."Let's all pray for a traditionalist/orthodox and holy Pope who is both holy and brave. Benedict XVI was the former but not the later."

He was not the latter? Really?

He was not "brave" when he lifted the SSPX-related excommunications. The same applies to when His Holiness informed the Church that priests had always been within their rights to have offered the Traditional Roman Mass.

His Holiness wasn't brave when he declared that when it came to AIDS, that the use of condoms would only "worsen the problem." He was attacked within and without the Church.

Sorry, but I don't accept your claim that Pope Benedict XVI has not been a brave Pontiff.

Tom,Your posts are getting more and morenon lucid. Like you and many Catholics I despise the so called "main stream media". Yes, they are totally anti-Catholic, and are part of the problem that the Catholic Church has had these last fifty years, but they're not the only problem. The biggest problems IMHO that the Catholic Church has had these last fifty or so years are Vatican II (and its ambiguities, and its modernist and relativist "spirit") homosexual infestation of the seminaries and the Church as a whole, and weak popes and bishops who have done nothing to correct/stop this insanity. You truly are naive if you think all of this is a media conspiracy. Defending the indefensible just because they wear mitres isn't being a good Catholic, and neither is being a papolator.

Francis in Ma said..."Tom,Your posts are getting more and more non lucid."

Okay. That is your opinion. I disagree with you.

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Francis in Ma said..."Like you and many Catholics I despise the so called "main stream media". Yes, they are totally anti-Catholic, and are part of the problem that the Catholic Church has had these last fifty years, but they're not the only problem.'

Okay. We agree on that.

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Francis in Ma said..."The biggest problems IMHO that the Catholic Church has had these last fifty or so years are Vatican II (and its ambiguities, and its modernist and relativist "spirit") homosexual infestation of the seminaries and the Church as a whole, and weak popes and bishops who have done nothing to correct/stop this insanity. You truly are naive if you think all of this is a media conspiracy. Defending the indefensible just because they wear mitres isn't being a good Catholic, and neither is being a papolator."

I guess that my posts are "more and more non lucid" to you as you have obviously failed to pay attention to that which I have posted. I have stated repeatedly that Vatican II is weak and ambiguous in places.

I have said that the Church is saturated with filth and rot in many forms. I have stated in numerous posts that the above has always been the case within the Church.

It is rot, for example, whenever a bishop or priest has worked overtime to have blocked orthodox and rational Catholics — not dissenters who, for example, attach the ridiculous label of "evil" to the Novus Ordo — from worshiping God via the Traditional Roman Mass.

It is not necessarily true that said bishops and priests are simply evil men. But rot within the Church comes in various forms.

I have stated that homosexuality has always existed within the clergy. I have stated that homosexual cabals have existed and exist within the Church.

What I don't understand is that I have made all the above clear in my posts. I am not "naive" in regard to the above.

But as far as the issue at hand is concerned, the Holy See has denounced as false the recent cycle of sensational news reports that have everybody up in arms.

I must consider the massive amount of "unassailable" innacurate and discredited Church-related stories that the news media have promoted repeatedly.

I must consider today's Holy See reponse to the current wave of sensationalistic news media stories in regard to Rome, the Conclave and the Church overall.

Therefore, I will thrown in with the Holy See. The news media need to produce some strong evidence, if you will, to be believed in this situation.

Tom said:"But as far as the issue at hand is concerned, the Holy See has denounced as false the recent cycle of sensational news reports that have everybody up in arms."The Holy See? You mean father Lombard denying the reports details, but he does not provide any prove to the contrary, nor does he make any effort or commentary on the matter.